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James Ford won the mayoral race in south suburban Country Club Hills following the retirement of the current mayor after 27 years.

As of Wednesday morning, Ford held 32.6 percent of the votes. The Cook County clerk's office showed 14 of 14 precincts reporting, but election results are not yet official. The closest competitor was Lisa Evans, who held 24 percent of the vote.

Mayor Dwight Welch, who held the office for 27 years, announced his retirement in December following a controversy over city finances in which the mayor was accused of using taxpayer money to pay expensive restaurant bills, among other unnecessary charges.

The city council recently voted for a proposal to limit terms in an attempt to get Welch out of office. The proposal succeeded, opening up the race for four current aldermen and one former alderman.